Mail-bag-delivery apparatus.



- J. B. BUDDY. MAIL BAG DELIVERY APPARATUS. rrLmA'noN rum) J UL'Y 10,1908.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

citizen of the United States, residing at and are for the purpose of holding the JAMES B. RODDY, OF BIDGEDALE, TENNESSEE.

MAIL-BAG-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed July 10, 1908. Serial No. 442,982.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, JAMEs B. RODDY, a

I'lidgedale, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain I new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail bag deliv ery apparatus of that kind which automatically delivers a mail bag at the station and at the same time takes up the mail bag to be delivered to the car and deposits the same therein.

The object of the invention is to provide a delivery apparatus of this kind which is simple in construction, and eflicient and reliable in operation, and when not in use may be folded and swung out of the way.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is an elevation of the apparatus and Fig. 2 a plan View.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 denotes the side of the mail car and 6 is the doorway. On the outside of the car, adjacent to the doorway, are secured brack ets 7 in which is mounted a horizontally disposed shaft 8 on which the apparatus is mounted.

The catcher is an arm 9 projecting from a hub 10, which is loosely mounted on the shaft 8 so that it may turn and slide thereon. The outer end of the arm is in the shape of a hook 11. From the hub also projects a stem 12 which extends in the opposite direction to the arm 9. On the inside of the car, on each side of the doorway, are mounted fingers 13 which project from the edges of the doorway catcher in operative position by placing the stem 12 under the same. With the stem under the fingers as stated, the arm 9 pro jects from the car horizontally'in position to grab the mail bag at the station. By providing two fingers 13, the catcher may be reversed, which permits its use irrespective of the direction of travel of the car.

The delivery device comprises a pair of arms 14 which are pivoted at 15 to one end oft-he hub and are deflected laterally so as to extend behind the catcher, and spaced a suitable distance therefrom in order not to interfere with the operation thereof. The

arms 14 swing in a vertical plane and have at their outer ends pins 16 on which the mail bag is hung.

On the arm 9 is slidably mounted a block 17 to which are pivoted toggle links 18 which are connected to the arms 14. The object of these links is to spread the arms 14, whereby the pins 16 are made to pull on the bag in opposite directions which tighten their hold, and the bag is thus prevented from being blown off or otherwise accidentally disengaged. l/Vhen the apparatus is not in use, the block 17 will he slid forwardly on the arm 9, whereupon the toggle-links 18 draw the arms 14 together so that the apparatus will take up but little room.

In practice, the apparatus herein described will be duplicated on the station platform, the catcher-arm 9 thereof being so located that it will grab the bag carried by the delivery arms 14 on the car, and the catcherarm of the car is so located that it will grab the bag carried by the delivery arms of the apparatus on. the platform. The relative position of the two catcher-arms is such that they will pass each other without interfering.

The apparatus operates as follows: When the car is approaching the station, the mail clerk hangs the bag on the pins 16 of the carapparatus and pushes the stem 12 under the finger 13. The postmaster does the same at the station. When the two catcherarms pass each other, they exchange bags, and all that the mail clerk and postmaster need to do is to slip off the bag and fold up the arms 14 until needed again.- When the catcherarm comes into contact with the bag, the impact or jar slides the hub 10 along the shaft 8 and slips the stem 12 from under the finger 13, whereupon the apparatus is released and then turns on the shaft and swings into the car of its own accord.

The apparatus herein described is practical and efficient. It is simple in construction and has no complicated parts to get out of order, and it will catch and deliver the bag without danger of injury thereto.

I claim- 1. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, a combination of a support; a catcher-arm carried thereby; and a pair of folding arms carried by the catcher-arm, and having bag holding means.

2. I11 a mail bag delivery apparatus, a combination of a support; a catcher-arm car- 'ried thereby; a pair of pivoted arms carried the catcher-arm and having bag holding means; and means for holding said pivoted arms spread.

3. In a mail-bag delivery apparatus, the

" combination of a horizontally disposed shaft; .a hub rotatably mounted thereon; a catcherarm pro ecting from-the hub; apair of arms the hub for holding the catcher-arm in operative position; and bagholding means carried by the hub.

'6.- In a mail-bag delivery apparatus, the

combination of a support; a catcher-arm carrled thereby; a pair of folding arms carried by the catcher-arm and having bagdiold ng means; and toggle-links connected to the folding arms for spreading them. 1

7. In a mail-bag delivery apparatus, the

combination of a support; a catcher-arm car ried thereby; and a pair of folding armscarried b I the catcherarm andhavin ba Y b Y. b

holding means; a block slidablymounted on the catcher-arm; and toggle-links connected to the block and the folding arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature Witnesses.

in presence of two I 7 JAMES B. RODDY. I Witnesses: SAM H. SEYMOUR,

Oscar-z YARNELL. 

